Sleeping Arrangements
by RainbowSheltie
Summary: Seven regenerates in an alcove, and Tom sleeps in a bed. There is an obvious inconsistency so the logical course of action is to break up. Tom thinks otherwise.


**Title** : Sleeping Arrangements

 **Series** : Star Trek: Voyager

 **Pairing** : Tom Paris/Seven of Nine

 **Tags** : Romance, Drama, Established Relationship, Not Breaking Up

 **Summary** : Seven regenerates in an alcove, and Tom sleeps in a bed. There is an obvious inconsistency so the logical course of action is to break up. Tom thinks otherwise.

 **Notes** : I took liberties with how her Borg physiology works. Deal with it.

* * *

 **BETA** : TheSupernova

* * *

Seven was beginning to doubt her compatibility as Tom's lover. She had done some research on couple etiquette and at a certain point in every relationship, it was common for two people to move in together. When on a starship, that mean sharing quarters. But Seven, being half-Borg, used a standing alcove while Tom slept in a bed.

Now, its not that she couldn't sleep—the doctor said that it was possible, but she really saw no need, because it wasn't like it would regenerate her energy like it did in humans.

She hadn't openly mentioned her concerns about sharing a room. She highly doubted Tom would want to move into the cargo bay with the Borg alcoves and she highly doubted Tom would allow her to build one in his room. It would be a major overhaul of the standard crew quarters.

Of course, the last option was to give Tom Borg implants so he could use the alcoves as well, but that wasn't an option she approved of.

Research showed sleeping together was an important part of every relationship.

She could ultimately go for a few days without regenerating, but it wasn't a pleasant sensation on a whole. Unless she had an extraneous reason.

And then she found out that certain aspects of her Borg physiology prevent her from having sex. Sure, she could derive a limited pleasure from kissing and what Tom calls "cuddling," but that was it. Anything more and her systems would go into shock. Seven would have to be rushed to sickbay.

Seven knew that once a relationship got to a certain point, Tom would expect things to become physical. She hadn't wanted to tell him until she had to. Mostly because she didn't want it to end.

Now she didn't have a choice, because it wasn't fair to Tom. Seven couldn't imagine Tom ever settling for a relationship that didn't involve intimate contact.

The doctor was working on a way to circumvent her inability to have sex, but he wasn't anywhere near a solution. There was no way of knowing when—or if—there would be a solution at all.

She had been putting off their break-up for weeks, but it was weighing on her more and more. Well, there was no point delaying the inevitable. Today, she would tell him that she wanted to break up.

* * *

She met Tom in his quarters after their respective shifts were over.

After she confessed, Tom was oddly quiet. Seven couldn't read his face.

"Tom?" she asked hesitantly.

"No," he told her.

Wait, what? This was the most logical course of action. Tom deserved someone better, a person who could give him what he needed. Seven tried again, this time explaining fully the limitations regarding her intimacy and sleeping arrangements.

"I said no," Tom repeated.

He sighed, shaking his head.

"Come here. Sit." He placed a hand on her elbow and gently guided her over to the bed. She sat down, and he knelt down in front of her. Tom held her hands in his.

"Look, I know you've been acting odd for a few weeks now, but I had no idea it was bothering you so much." Tom gave her a slight smile. "Seven, I love you. If you want to install a Borg alcove in my room, then so be it. All I ask is that you sleep with me long enough for me to fall asleep. Then you can sneak off to your alcove."

That she could do. It didn't occur to her that she could compromise her time. But there was still one thing that wasn't sorted out.

"And as for having sex, I'm assuming you've told the doc about it, right?" Tom asked.

Seven nodded.

"Of course. It's a common problem with Borg drones, so I mentioned it to him soon after we started dating," she told Tom. "He hasn't found a solution yet."

"Look, whether he does or not, it won't change my feelings for you," Tom reassured her. "Yes, sex is something I enjoy but I'm not going to break up with you over it. There are other things we can do together."

"I don't know…" she said, hesitant.

"Do you trust me?" he asked.

Seven nodded again.

"Then we'll get through this together," he told her.

"Together, then," Seven replied.

Tom reached up to kiss Seven gently on the lips. She smiled at him. Seven wasn't sure what the future held, but if Tom was willing to walk this uncertain path with her, she wasn't about to deny him.

"Oh, that's right!" Tom exclaimed, startling her. "There's this old western program I wanted to watch with you. I haven't seen it yet, but I was hoping you wouldn't mind experiencing it together."

"I'm still not sure what you see in those programs," she told him. "But I shall join you."

It wasn't so much the old programs she liked as it was spending time with Tom. And besides, the last detective program he made her sit though wasn't all that bad. Predictable, but it did provide a certain amount of amusement. However small.

As he led them to the couch, something occurred to her.

"What is a "western"?" she asked.

Tom grinned, obviously amused. He then proceeded to give a pre-show lecture on just what it meant.


End file.
